Overview

abstract

This article reports findings from a survey of 110 writers’ personal digital archiving practices.The authors found that most writers neglect digital archival concerns, and consequently,their digital archives consist of poorly managed, highly distributed, and unsystematicallylabeled files. Writers are not entirely to blame for their neglect, however, as they developarchival practices idiosyncratically, with little or no guidance from information professionals,and 80% indicate they would welcome instruction on digital preservation. The authors recommendthat archivists actively approach writers to offer guidance on the best and simplestways to organize and archive their files so as to prevent further losses.